Safety

You've carved out some precious shop time for that long-awaited project, and now you're eager to get the job done. But slow down: Your rush could make you do something rash. One bad move can damage the workpiece--or, even worse, you. Follow these four router safety tips, and you won't let haste make waste.

If it's never happened to you, count yourself lucky. The scenario goes like this: You're trying to rip a board barely a few inches wide on your tablesaw. There's the whirling blade, the fence, the workpiece, and your hand. You grab a scrap to use as a pushstick to move the workpiece through the cut and beyond the blade. You push, guide, then suddenly WHAM! Flying wood. Shaking, you shut off the saw and examine yourself for injury. What went wrong?

Sure, you know your tools and materials. You've done it all before, right? But all the same, you can never take safety for granted. Here are a dozen things to ponder before you begin any woodworking project. Just check them off one by one.